The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : `Competent engineer alone should issue stability certificate'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 24, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

`Competent engineer alone should issue stability certificate'

By K. Subramaniam

NAGAPATTINAM, JULY 23. The stability certificate for any public building in Tamil Nadu should be issued only by a `competent engineer' and not by a `chartered or licensed engineer', according to S. Ashokkumar, an engineer of Mayiladuturai and competent person under Class I-A category (public buildings worth above Rs.30 lakhs) to issue the `stability certificate'. This point was not focussed after the Kumbakonam school fire, he told The Hindu on Wednesday.

The licensed engineer is authorised to draw building plans to get approval from the Municipality or Municipal Corporation and is in no way connected with the stability certificate. Some people misguide officials, noting the municipal licence number in the application.

The chartered engineer's certificate can be obtained by any corporate member from the Institute of Engineers (India) on payment of Rs. 1,000.

Norms for safety

On safety of public buildings, Mr. Ashokkumar said the competent engineer must inspect the building. The photo showing inner and outer segments must be attached to the application for licence.

The photo of the competent engineer and the correspondent or principal of a school or any other institution must be available. The photo should be taken every three years with a digital camera and must contain the time and date.

The only person authorised to issue the stability certificate under the Public Building Licensing Act 1965 for a private public building is the `Competent Person'.

It is being issued by the District Collector based on the recommendation by a board of engineers. The board, consisting of more than 10 chief engineers working under various regions of the Public Works Department, discusses the proposal received from the Collector as well as technical opinion obtained from the PWD Superintending Engineer concerned, and recommends names for inclusion on the panel of private practising engineers, maintained by the Collector.

The competent persons are classified Class I-A, Class I and Class II based on their qualifications and experience. They should include photocopies of the identity cards issued by the Collector along with their stability certificate reports.

Mr. Ashokkumar said classes for pre-kindergarten to Standard V must be conducted only on the ground floor.

The present system of applications for licence concentrated on building stability. All technical details noted in this report were a mere assumption as any RCC building could remain stable for a minimum of 50 years under normal conditions.

The main issue is whether the building is constructed as a public building or not.

`Transfer powers'

Mr. Ashokkumar suggested that District Collectors be made the building licence authority, transferring the powers from the tahsildars. The building rules must be simplified.

A permanent alternative was to replace the thatches with RCC roof in schools. ACC roof would be hazardous and light roof supported on bamboo or casuarina poles would get damaged soon by white ants.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu